Harris County Judge Ed Emmett’s Advice to Officials Sworn in New Year’s Day

HOUSTON, Texas – Elected officials all over the State were sworn-in January 1st. The message that County Judge Ed Emmett gave to Harris County elected officials at the Houston ceremony is one for all elected officials in the state. His lesson was one of humility, service to community, and joy while serving.

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Harris County Judge Ed Emmett is the highest ranking official and the chief executor officer in Harris County, Texas. He served as a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987. He was appointed by Harris County Commissioner’s Court in 2007 to fill a vacancy after the resignation of the county judge, and was elected in 2008, and reelected in 2010 and 2014.

Emmett had a few salient points for the public servants attending the swearing-in rite. The three points were: “Restrain the Ego”; “Do Right”, and “Be Happy”.

The veteran official told his fellow elected officials that as representatives, “we are not really that important. Someone came before you, and someone will come after you. The reality is that none of us are really the office.”

Emmett told his fellow officials to first take care to restrain the Ego. He said that while politicians in Texas frequently invoke the name of General Sam Houston, “very few of us left office at the point of a gun.” Emmett told the crowd gathered for the swearing-in ceremony that Sam Houston had stood for an unpopular idea at the time, he spoke out against the Civil War. Emmett asked his colleagues – “How many of us would do that?”

The County Judge of the largest county in the state also reminded the officials to just do what is right when you are serving.

Emmett told them to be happy in their jobs and reminded them that they sought the office they were elected to. Emmett told them that if they would be happy, then those around them would be happy and would better serve the community. He said “then Harris County, and Texas, and this great nation will be a better place.”

Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.